“It's been a week since Rebecca and Beth of Pathways to Restorative Communities (P2RC) helped facilitate a complex and potentially volatile forum at my daughter's school and I'm still trying to process the magic they made.

A group of parents commissioned P2RC to help us plan and facilitate a forum that was put together in five days' time. Not only did Rebecca and Beth come in when we were at four days and counting, but it was also a very dynamic situation in which a lot of things had to come together fast, and strategy and information were changing quickly and constantly.

Although P2RC usually enters the picture at the point when restorative justice can take place, they agreed to come in earlier for our situation. It turned out that, although they don't usually work in situations like ours, they were perfectly equipped. They helped us cultivate a space that felt safe, warm, and inviting, even though the topics we had to discuss were difficult — creating an environment that let us have tough conversations without creating more harm down the line.

Those of us who planned the meeting were concerned our community would emerge from it further divided. Instead, thanks in large part to Rebecca and Beth's elegant, thoughtful, and compassionate facilitation, our community emerged far more united and connected than we walked in. This forum — which ultimately hosted just under 200 people, both in person and online — set the tone for peaceful, respectful action as we move forward together, advocating for our teachers and our children.

I am deeply grateful for their expertise, intelligence, and understanding. I unequivocally believe that any party looking for restorative justice will be well served by them.”